Bellator 106 play-by-play and live results

LONG BEACH, Calif. – MMAjunkie.com is on scene and reporting live from tonight’s Bellator 106 event.

The card, which features a rematch between lightweight champion Michael Chandler and Eddie Alvarez, takes place at Long Beach Arena in California. The main card airs on Spike TV following prelims on Spike.com.

Follow along with our round-by-round updates and official results beginning at approximately 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT) for the preliminary card and 9 p.m. ET for the main card.

To discuss the show, be sure to check out our Bellator 106 discussion thread. You can also get behind-the-scenes coverage and other event notes from on-site reporter Steven Marrocco (@MMAjunkieSteven) on Twitter. Enjoy the fights, everyone.

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DARREN SMITH (4-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) VS. JOSH SMITH (8-5 MMA, 0-0 BMMA)

Round 1 – The two trade kicks to get the preliminary card started as Herb Dean oversees the action. Darren Smith catches an early kick and cracks Josh Smith before pressing him to the cage. Josh peels out to escape danger and resumes a kick-heavy attack. Darren pressing in and gets caught with a knee to the midsection before he nabs the takedown and lands in side control. Josh cage walks and find his feet, and Darren presses him to the cage. A nice takedown from Josh Smith, and he’s in Darren’s guard. Josh working to pass, and Darren uses the attempt to right himself. He chases Josh back to the cage and grabs a leg for a takedown. They trade body punches in close, but it’s Darren who changes levels and nabs another takedown. Darren posts up and slams Josh to the mat before standing up. Josh stands and chases him down with a punch kick combo. Darren retorts with the same and drops Josh with a punch. After attempting to land shots overhead, he settles into guard. Getting nothing, he stands overhead and allows Josh to stand. They stare until the end of the first frame. MMAjunkie.com scores the round 10-9 for Darren Smith.

Round 2 – Slower start in the second round, but Darren breaks the silence with a left hook that lands clean. Josh chases him back with punches, and they fight for a takedown. Neither is successful, and when Josh tries a hip toss, Darren holds firm and keeps top position, settling into guard. Darren works the body and head, and Josh briefly kicks his way up before getting pushed back to the mat by Darren. Again, Josh uses the cage to get up, and Darren locks his arms around Josh’s waist. He walks the two back to the cage and attempts a double-leg, but Josh defends. He reinvests and gets the takedown, but Josh reverses by threatening an arm. Payback time now for Josh, who works short elbows from half-guard. Darren doing a good job of avoiding damage, tying up Josh’s upper torso. Darren nearly gets a reversal using the cage for leverage, but Josh holds and lands in side-guard. He goes knee on belly and attempts mount, and the round ends before he can secure the position. MMAjunkie.com scores the frame 10-9 for Josh Smith.

Round 3 – Josh pushes forward, but Darren scores again with a left hook as he charges back. Head-kick attempt for Darren, and a nice leg kick. Darren letting his feet go. JOsh swings for the fences and misses, then charges in for a takedown. Stuffed, Darren tries his own takedown and doesn’t get it. He presses the two to the cage, and Josh defends a takedown. Reversal, and Josh nabs a leg and deposits Darren to the mat. Josh in Darren’s guard. Josh posts his feet and tries to break posture while Darren ties him up. Josh escapes and lands a nice elbow, then a couple more. Darren working for a sweep, and Josh advances to half-guard before landing a few short punches. Thirty seconds to go, and there’s not much offense, but Josh is the one who’s delivering it. A big left prompts Darren to sit up and attempt an escape, but he ends the round defending punches from Josh. MMAjunkie.com scores the final round 10-9 for Josh Smith for a 29-28 score.

Round 1 – John McCarthy the third man in the cage for this prelim bout. Head movement for Luciano, who shoots for a takedown at the earliest opportunity and catches a few knees on the way to the fence, where Camacho fights the takedown. Luciano gets the fight to the mat after a struggle, and works from side mount. Camacho ties up a leg, and Luciano scoots before posturing and firing down a few punches. Camacho ties up his torso, obviously hoping for a standup. Luciano does his best to do damage, and actually lands some good punches that force Camacho to defend. Luciano looking to mount, and Camacho again ties up his legs. Luciano stands and then uses his knee for stability as he attempts to gain mount. Camacho scoots again and winds up taking more punches from the bottom. Luciano racking up all kinds of points with short shots. Camacho unable to do much stuffed against the cage. Luciano stands overhead and unleashes a torrent of punches that prompt McCarthy to look closely at the action. As Luciano threatens a finish, he runs out of time. MMAjunkie.com scores the frame 10-9 for Luciano.

Round 2 – More fakes from Luciano on his way to a shot, and Camachao defends briefly with a choke from the bottom before Luciano frees himself and begins a vigorous bout of ground and pound. Closed guard from Camacho, but it’s not helping him avoid punches from the top. Luciano stands, and Camacho thinks about a leglock. Luciano settles into side mount and thinks about advancing, but Camacho has his leg trapped. Again, Camacho ties up Luciano’s upper torso. Luciano breaks the hold and works a short right hand. Luciano moves to north-south briefly, but again takes a high side mount and works elbows. He’s not landing any fight-ending shots as of yet, but he’s certainly winning the fight. Finally, he takes mount position as Camacho turns his body to avoid the position. Luciano in something between mount and back-mount, but he soon gets full mount and begins raining down shots. Camacho rolls to defend, and round ends with Luciano wailing away with punches. MMAjunkie.com scores the round 10-9 for Luciano.

Round 3 – With a swollen left eye, Camacho measures a jab while Luciano bides his time. Leg kick for Luciano. Camacho not even thinking about kicks. More head fakes from Luciano, and it’s clear we’re in a game of cat and mouse. But again, it’s Luciano that nabs the takedown, and soon, he’s over Camacho on the cage, flinging more punches. This time, however, he takes Camacho’s back and threatens a choke. The veteran Camacho escapes the position, and Luciano takes half-guard. Luciano working to pass, and gets side mount. Camacho defending the mount, and turns to his hands and knees. Unfortunately, he’s exposed to Luciano’s left hand, and he takes several shots. But he does manage to get back to his feet, briefly, before Luciano grabs his legs and puts him back on the mat. In north-south, Luciano wings more punches, and Camacho attempts to tie his head up with his legs. It’s a highly unpleasant position for Camacho, who uses the cage to push off and winds up in turtle position. Finding no respite there, he turns to his back as Luciano gets mount and back mount as round ends. Another dominant frame, 10-9, for Luciano, who should easily take this fight, 30-27.

Round 1 – Jason Herzog oversees this lightweight prelim. Miller slung low, advancing slowly. Guymon works a few kicks. Jab from “The Joker.” High kick misses for Guymon. Miller lets go a 1-2. Guymon charges with punches and they hit the cage. As they do, it looks like a clash of the heads rocks him. He instantly clinches, but it’s Miller who muscles a takedown. Working in side-control, he goes knee on belly, and Guymon scrambles up to his feet. He meets a knee to the head, and Guymon scrambles to reassert himself in the clinch. A knee to the groin drops Guymon to the mat in agony. He rolls around in what appears to be severe pain. Obviously, there’s a break to the action. After a few minutes, Guymon is still getting it together. Herzog gives Miller a verbal warning, and it looks like we’ll continue. The crowd boos Guymon’s efforts to relieve himself, and we get started. Guymon lands a left hand in an exchange and charges back in. But again, it’s Miller who reverses a bad position and winds up on top. Guymon works butterfly guard as Miller attempts to mount. He gets the position and gets Guymon’s back against the cage. Hand and head-fighting follows, and Miller lets a few pitter-patter punches go for distraction. Less than a minute to go. MIller loses a hook and Guymon stands, grabbing a kimura in the process. Miller scrambles out of danger, and Guymon presses for a takedown. He’s again intercepted, but Guymon manages to wheel to his back and land a hard knee to his head at the round’s end. MMAjunkie.com scores the frame 10-9 for Miller.

Round 2 – Both men fake kicks. Guymon closes with a punch, and they clinch again. A wrestle for cage dominance ensues, and Guymon is trying to drag Miller to the ground. He eventually gets the takedown, but Miller pops back up. Guymon lets a few punches go, and he tries to get Miller back down. Miller defending well, but Guymon redoubles his efforts and gets him to the mat. He thinks about a choke, but Miller isn’t flattened out and eventually stands. Miller then pushes the fight to the mat, where Guymon throws up his legs for a triangle and then an oma plata. Miller escapes and twists around to take side mount. He traps an arm and looks in prime position for a kimura. Guymon fights it and turtles up. Guymon suddenly grabs an arm and threatens his own lock, and the two engage in a frantic scramble of kimura and armbar submission threats before Guymon eventually winds up on bottom. Amazingly, he ends the sequence by throwing his legs up for a triangle, and Miller is forced to tap.

Round 1 – Referee John McCarthy oversees this light-heavyweight bout. Halsey is instantly on the prowl with Ramirez, who’s firing back counters as he moves back. A quick scramble, and Ramirez’s kimura attempt prompts Halsey to take his back. All at once, he’s pounding away with punches. Ramirez covers up, and Ramirez has nowhere to go. It appears one of the punches badly hurts him, and referee McCarthy is forced to intervene at the 0:52 mark of the first round. Impressive performance from Halsey, who never let Ramirez get in the fight.

Round 1 – Souza bounces with his hands at his sides, and neither man is doing much in the opening seconds of this bout, overseen by referee Jason Herzog. High kick whiffs for Souza, who next attempts a capoeira kick. Garcia punches his way in , but they’re not exactly straight shots. Garcia ducks under a punch and grabs a leg. Souza uses that to spin for a kick, but he misses, and after a brief scramble we’re back to center cage. Garcia hits glove off a counter, but then hurts Souza moving backward, then lands a knee to the head in close. Souza a little more conservative now. Garcia rushes in and Souza charges back, firing with wild hooks. Garcia counters with a single shot and resets. A low kick scratches his up, but we don’t need a restart. Now Souza is complaining of a groin shot. Dead quiet in the arena. Garcia lets a combination go, and Souza clinches for an easy takedown. Against the fence, he works punches from half-guard as Garcia ties him up. Herzog doesn’t see enough and restarts them, rather quickly. Souza goes high with a kick and Garcia again attempts a counter. Souza grabs the clinch and attempts knees as Garcia wings punches. Souza changes it up and they go toe-to-toe before the round ends. It appears Garcia caught a knee to the groin in the exchange. MMAjunkie.com scores the frame 10-9 for Garcia.

Round 2 – Souza goes low with kicks. Garcia backs away from what appears to be a setup for a flashy follow up. Garcia advances and lands a nice low kick, then a chopping follow up. Souza circles and then lets go two winging hooks, which miss. Garcia closes as Souza circles. Garcia thinks better of advancing on a missed kick. Souza charges and gets nothing. Spinning back attempt from Garcia, and in a subsequent exchange, he collapses after a kick to the groin. After a recovery break, we’re back at it. Souza closes and misses with a few punches and a high kick. Garcia intercepts the next charge and ties things up before purchasing to the cage. Souza reverses and clinches, where he unloads knees. Garcia posts an arm to avoid the shots, and Souza uses a front headlock. Souza wheels around to his back and tries a suplex, but he’s blocked. He presses back to the cage, still at Garcia’s back, and the two stall. Less than a minute to go, and Garcia has an arm. Souza with a knee to the leg. Herzog separates them. Garcia dives in for a takedown and elevates him. But Souza quickly gets back to his feet and sends Garcia reeling backward with punches. Souza stands overhead and attempts a finishing blow, but can’t get it before the frame comes to an end. MMAjunkie.com scores the round 10-9 for Souza. Fight is even at 19-19.

Round 3 – Final round, and a touch of gloves between the two. Souza misses on a high kick and then throws a flying knee followed by punches. Garcia pissed off and gestures before charging back with punches, drawing a smile from Souza, who ties him up and presses the two to the cage. After a brief escape attempt from Garcia, Souza nabs the takedown and lands in mount. Garcia rolls, and Souza flings punches overhead. Garcia turtles, and Souza tries to secure hooks for the choke. He throws punches from the back as the round’s midway point passes. Garcia sits up and Souza struggles to keep his hooks in. Garcia rolls, and Souza gets the rear-naked choke position. After a short struggle, Garcia is forced to tap at the 3:06 mark of the third round. Souza does some flips, the splits, and some capoeira before accepting the American Top Team flag.

Round 1 – Veteran referee Herb Dean oversees the opening main-card bout of the evening, which is contested in the featherweight division. Richman jabbing in. Stepanyan patient. More jabs from Richman, and they reset, but Stepanyan lands a punch in transition. Stepanyan countering off Richamn’s kicks. Nice body kick from Stepanyan. Richman with the jab. Right hook lands for Stepanyan, and Richman repays. Nice movement from Stepanyan in getting out of the way of Richman. Spinning attempt from Stepanyan. He misses on a kick counter with wild hooks. More big hooks, but they’re blocked, and Richman is looking for a counter. He eats one himself as he presses in. Stepanyan leads with winging hook. Richman catches him with a right hand, but Stepanyan is beginning to find his range with counters. In fact, both are starting to land in the middle of combinations. Stepanyan with an other spinning attempt. Richman rocks Stepanyan with a nice right hand, but he’s still in the fight. Stepanyan lands a straight right to the jaw, and Richman is wobbled. Stepanyan advances and looks for the finish, but he can’t land, and Richman catches him with a few counters. They reset, and it’s Richman that lands a lead left hook that drops Stepanyan cold. A double hammerfist seals the deal for “The Marine,” and Dean calls a halt to the bout.

Round 1 – Referee John McCarthy oversees this welterweight reality-show tournament final. Touch of gloves, and we’re underway. Bronzoulis leads with a leg kick and circles. He fires off a head kick, but Riggs is staying patient. The dueling southpaws fire off leg kicks, and Bronzoulis doubles up. Hard leg kick gets Riggs’ attention, and he starts moving forward. Bronzoulis kicking away. A Riggs punch sends Bronzoulis backward, but nothing doing. Another charge from Riggs, and we’ve got a fight. Bronzoulis sweeps Riggs off his feet with a leg kick. Bronzoulis with a hook, and they clash heads. Riggs looks tentative. Not much head movement from the former UFC fighter. Bronzoulis getting off, slaps him with a head kick. But out of nowhere, Riggs slaps Bronzoulis with a hook and flurries. Bronzoulis covered up, and they reset. Riggs dancing back to position. Bronzoulis misses high with a kick. On the next one, Riggs catches it and gets a bodylock before taking Bronzoulis down. He works to pass guard, and they inch to the cage. Riggs fires down an elbow. He stands, and Bronzoulis gets up. First it’s a possible guillotine, but the rear-naked choke quickly becomes a better option for Riggs. They’re against the cage and hand fighting. Bronzoulis scrambles and escapes danger, but Riggs is still on him in front headlock position. He lets go a few knees to the shoulders Bronzoulis stands as the round ends. After a slow start, Riggs takes the frame on MMAjunkie.com’s scorecard, 10-9.

Round 2 – Bronzoulis immediately charges in with punches, and Riggs clinches and easily takes the fight to the ground. Working from half-guard, he fights Bronzoulis’ attempt to stand up. Bronzoulis, however, has too much space and rights himself. He tries to put Riggs down, and takes a knee in the process. War for position against the cage. Riggs peels off with a knee. Bronzoulis catches Riggs with a punch in the next exchange, and Riggs presses into the clinch. Against the fence, he peels off with an elbow and misses. He’s cut above his left eye. Bronzoulis chases with kicks, and Riggs fires back. Bronzoulis charges again, but Riggs easily clinches again and takes the fight down. This time, he passes to side control, and Bronzoulis rolls to deny him position. Against the cage, Riggs again takes the back, and they sit into the position against the links. Hand-fighting follows. Riggst doesn’t have much leverage, and Bronzoulis easily bucks him off. Riggs trips the legs and keeps the back, and then falls off when Bronzoulis denies him a hook. Bronzoulis works from open guard, and Riggs angles his legs. Riggs throws his legs up for an armbar and then triangle, but can’t get them, and the round ends. Still, he takes the second frame, 10-9, advancing his score to 20-18 on MMAjunkie.com’s scorecard.

Round 3 – Final round, and somebody is going home with six figures. Riggs counters early with punches, and Bronzoulis charges forward. He meets air and takes a counter in the process, and Riggs counter-charges, landing a knee in close before grabbing a double-leg takedown. He’s in half-guard in under a minute, and then gets side control. Bronzoulis turtles and holds onto an arm, allowing Riggs to punch with his free one. As Bronzoulis sits up, Riggs takes the back again, and they’re sitting against the fence. Riggs’ cut, meanwhile, has turned part of his hair red. He’s working short punches, and they’re hand fighting. Bronzoulis turtles again, and Riggs is hanging on. Two minutes to go. Bronzoulis pitches back, and Riggs briefly loses a hook. But he’s not going anywhere, and Bronzoulis is going to lose this fight if he doesn’t pull out something amazing in the next minute. Bronzoulis stands, and Riggs remains. Sweat and gravity forces Riggs to give up a hook, and then they tumble to the mat. When they do, Bronzoulis finally has the chance to escape. But he’s got 15 seconds to work. Riggs gets up and fires off a few punches, and that’s a wrap. Riggs scores a 10-9 on MMAjunkie.com’s scorecard, and wins “Fight Master” with a 30-27 score.

Round 1 – Referee Jason Herzog is the referee for this 145-pound title fight. Touch of gloves, and we’re underway. Curran leads with a head kick. He slips in a right hand and then unloads a high kick that’s blocked. Straught chases for a takedown and gets it easily. Curran’s back not fully on the mat, and Straus is working two flatten him. He can’t, and Curran stands and turns away. They reset, and Straus is in with a one-two that’s blocked. They trade kicks, and Straus ducks under a combo. Straus with a body kick into a punch that backs Curran up, but doesn’t hurt him. Curran fires back and is similarly stymied. Curran’s inside leg kick goes south of the border, and we break. Crowd is chanting “F–k you Tito” on the break. Straus immediately gets after it, chasing after Curran, who counters with a well-placed punch. Straus stuffs him against the cage and then lets him out of the position. Curran’s leg kick trumps Straus in close. Curran lands a nice counter. Straus with a straight right on the way into a takedown, and he has trouble completing it. Curran with elbows. Straus maneuvers to the back as Curran stands and wraps his arms around the champ’s waist. Curranturns and they wrestle for position. Curran catches Straus with a punch on the retreat. Spirited, if unsuccessful, exchange of punches and kicks ends the first. MMAjunkie.com scores the round 10-9 for Straus.

Round 2 – Straus fires off a combo that’s blocked and catches a knee as the charges in. Curran also with an inside hook, and Straus resets. Curran countering well. He lands an uppercut in close as Straus covers. They trade leg kicks. Lead left for Straus. Very tactical fight so far. Straus with a nice body kick. Curran trips after an exchange in which he landed a nice right cross counter. Curran gets up and lands a body kick. He’s working better in the clinch, firing off short punches as Straus tries to muscle him in the position. Straus again with the body kick. Straus gets the better of a counter in a subsequent exchange, but Curran catches him the next one. Straus again wrestles his way into the clinch and hopes to bully the champ. He’s increasingly working an inside leg kick. Curran keeping him honest with his right leg to the body and head. Curran lands an elbow off the clinch. Fast punches being thrown, and Curran lands an uppercut and hook. But Straus charges back with a nice hook and body-kick, and the round ends in parity. MMAjunkie.com, though, gives the frame to Curran, 10-9, for more accurate striking.

Round 3 – Straus again charges in, but meets a knee from Curran, who sweeps him off his feet in a subsequent exchange. Straus leaps with a knee and kick, but Curran is out of range. They reset. Straus punches into a takedown attempt, and Curran tests his sprawl. Rabbit punches from the champ. Straus can’t complete the takedown, so he settles for the clinch and works knees. Two minutes in. Curran fights the level change. Straus with knees to the body. He attempts a trip, and then executes a perfect hip toss as Curran moves to his back. Curran resets and grabs a leg. Straus again tosses him, but when Curran gets up, he unloads an illegal knee to the jaw. Curran clutches his forehead, immediately aware of his infraction. Straus eventually gets up and walks around a bit to clear his head. Doctor is checking on Straus. He’s good to go. Referee Jason Herzog then deducts a point for the illegal blow. They restart. A clash of head as they collide, and Straus nabs the takedown and lands in side control. Curran defending mount, and Straus working short elbows. Less than a minute to go. Curran attempts to escape but is smothered and accepts guard. Straus trying some ground and pound. Action slows. Curran throws up his legs for an armbar, but Straus is ready. With the point deduction, MMAjunkie.com scores the frame 10-8 for Straus. 29-27 so far for the challenger.

Round 4 – Curran immediately working inside as they get close, and Straus retorts with a body kick before clinching and pushing them to the fence. Straus with short punches, but really, he’s just stalling. Eventually, he grabs a leg and gets a takedown. Curran turns and gets back to his feet, and Straus angles to his back. He wants a suplex, and then lifts the champ to deposit him to the mat. Curran turtled, and Straus can’t get a hook in. Curran stands and Straus stays on him, kneeing the legs. He twice tries to life Curran, but is blocked. Curran turns with his back to the fence, and concedes the takedown. Straus’ neck is exposed, but Curran doesn’t have position. Curran grabs the neck and wraps his legs around Straus’ torso, and there are some tense seconds. But Straus is OK, and Curran is forced to let go. Now, it’s Straus’ time to work, and he lands punches. He then steps over Curran’s legs and tries a choke against the fence, but Curran survives. Still, Straus clearly takes the round, 10-9, giving him the 39-36 score going into the final round.

Round 5 – Curran backs Straus up with a kick, and then eats a body kick for a few thrown punches. He resets and lands a one-two. Curran lands a good counter right hand, but Straus is still there and lands a body kick. Lead right for Straus. Straus leaps with a knee that’s blocked. Straus lands a left hook that hurts Curran, and chases him to the fence with a flurry of punches and knees from the clinch. Curran survives, and Straus has him against the fence. Straus trying to work with his left arm despite his right arm being trapped. Curran reverses and looks for a trip. He changes his mind and changes levels for a takedown. This time, Straus can’t toss him, and remains with his back to the cage. Curran can’t execute the trip, and they’re still battling for position. Crowd growing restless with all the clinching. Curran drops for a takedown, and Straus jumps for a highlight reel strikes that misses its target. Curran drops to his back and Straus ends the fight with a flurry of punches from top position. MMAjunkie.com scores the final frame 10-9 for Straus, giving him the 49-45 decision and the Bellator featherweight belt.

Round 1 – Referee Herb Dean the third man in the cage for this interim title bout. Newton leads with a kick. Lawal paws and then resets. Newton pawing himself and backs Lawal up with a kick. Laweal looking to corner him, and then shoots for a takedown. After a brief struggle, he gets it. Newton immediately turns to his side, and Lawal goes to work with his left hand. Newton stands up, and Lawal is hanging on him. He whees Newton around upon an escape attempt, and then grabs another double leg. Newton posts a hand and then sits. He again scrambles and turns his back as Lawal hangs again. Lawal unloads with a series of punches that hurt Newton, but he disengages. Newton chases back and a shot goes south on Lawal. Upon the restart. Newton attempts a spinning kick and Lawal intercepts for an easy takedown. Newton tries to uses his leg to defend, but a few of Lawal’s shots make it through. They shrimp to the cage, and Lawal lands a hard knee to the body He can’t get the takedown, and Newton takes the center of the cage. He’s looking for a home with punches, but Lawal is defending and circling. Lawal lands a jab and then lowers his hand, but then quickly raises it. Lawal showboats a bit and Newton chases him down with a kick to end the round. MMAjunkie.com scores the frame 10-9 for Lawal.

Round 2 – Newton active with feints as Lawal circles. A kick from Newton is blocked then another. Lawal extends his hand and tries a jab. Lawal nearly connects after getting inside, but resets. Newton trying to keep him at bay with kicks. A spinning attempt misses, but a body kick finds its target. They trade jabs. Lawal ducks in for a takedown and presses them to the cage. Lawal elevates Newton and drops him to the mat. Again, Newton tries to push off with his legs. This time, he escapes easier. And catches Lawal with a left high kick as they break off. All at once, Lawal seems wobbly. He shoots for a takedown and is stuffed. Newton can’t land the finishing blow. Lawal lands in close. He’s back now and easily avoids a spinning kick. But Newton is having better fortune in striking, landing kicks and punches on the front and back end of exchanges. Despite this, Lawal is still waiting for his change to strike. Round ends with another blocked kick from Newton, who takes the second frame on MMAjunkie.com’s scorecard, 10-9.

Round 3 – Newton leads with a clubbing overhead right that’s blocked. Lawal counters with a left, then goes with a lead to the body. Newton reels off a few kicks to keep him at bay. The strikes are disrupting Lawal’s rhythm. But Lawal finally corners Newton and scores with a few winging hooks. Then, he starts attacking the body and working the jab. Newton scores with a pair of kicks. Lawal goes to the body again. Newton again with a pair of kicks. He’s switching stances and keeping Mo on his toes. HIs kicks are ending each exchange and scoring. Lawal scores in return with punches and checks the clock. He corners Newton and tries to unload, but can’t keep his foe there long enough. He charges for a takedown, and in the process exposes his neck, which allows Newton to keep him from completing the move. They reset, and Lawal digs to the body. Another charging spin-kick from Newton ends the frame. Close round, but MMAjunkie.com sees it 10-9 for Newton.

Round 4 – Newton leads with kicks as Lawal inches in. Lawal trying to find a home for his jab as Newton kicks him away. Spin attempts from “The Hardcore Kid.” Lawal lands a thudding overhand right and resets. Newton fires back and nearly catches Lawal with a high kick. Lawal again tries to corner him, and Newton kicks him away. Lawal lunges into an overhand, but his foe is still there. Newton telegraphing his kicks more. But his spinning back fists attempt is not enough for Lawal to complete a takedown, and a subsequent attempt is also blocked. Oerall, Newton’s volume is just tricky to deal with for Lawal, who closes for a single-leg takedown. He briefly deepsits Newton on the mat, and Newton escapes the clinch. Lawal ducks under a combo and clinches, but doesn’t pursue a takedown. Newton’s kick trumps Lawal’s one-two. They’re both slowing in the championship rounds. Newton lands a kick to the body. He ends the round with yet another punch-kick combo that pushes back Lawal. MMAjunkie.com scores the frame 10-9 for Newton, who has the lead, 39-37.

Round 5 – Newton leads with an overhand right and moves in on Lawal, who takes another few shots to the body. A left hook scores for the “King,” and Newton’s counters are blocked. They briefly stand toe-to-toe and trade jabs. Lawal lands a stinging right in an exchange. Newton’s right eye is swelling. Newton ducks under and lands an overhand right against an advancing Lawal. A spin kick is missed, but Lawal can’t capitalize. Instead, he hangs on Newton before letting his foe escape. More head kicks keep Lawal at bay. Newton is again making it very tough for him to get inside with his punches, and Newton kicks to the body on the tail end. Lawal chases in frustration, but he can’t land anything significant. Overhand right is also scoring for Newton. Lawal digs to the body. He grabs a leg and even tries to kick Newton’s legs out, but it’s the cage that helps him finally get Newton down with 30 seconds to go. Newton, however, won’t be held down, and he escapes to his feet, where he shoots for a takedown in the final seconds of the bout. MMAjunkie.com scores the final frame 10-9 Lawal, and Newton the fight, 48-47.

Round 1 – John McCarthy oversees this highly anticipated lightweight rematch between champ Chandler and ex-champ Alvarez. No touch of gloves. Chandler lands a jab off the bat, and then stings Alvarez in a follwow up. Instantly, Alvarez is on his bicycle. Chandler misses a winging shot and trips. after a clash of heads. He lands a body kick. Alvarez chases with punches. Next exchange nets nothing. Chandler popping that jab, then reeling off a body kick. Alvarez appears closer in exchanges. Chandler misses in exchanges and Alvarez attempts a takedown against the cage. Chandler easily stuffs it. Nice jab for Alvarez. He lands a glancing overhand right. Chandler loads up and misses on an uppercut. Alvarez evades a charging right from Chandler. Straight right for Chandler, then follow up lands. Alvarez on his bike. Another scores for Chandler, who’s attempting to corner his foe and land the big shot. Alvarez circling, then replying with hooks. He lands a left hand in the next exchange, and Chandler keeps pressing forward. Chandler missing with big, lunching punches. He catches a kick and then deposits Alvarez to the mat with a big slam. In a flash, he’s got the choke position, but he doesn’t have the hooks, and after a tense moment, Alvarez escapes. Alvarez ducking and gets warned for a clash of heads. Curran lands a knee in close and decides to stay down, goading Alvarez to end a frenetic, action-packed round that MMAjunkie.com scores 10-9 for Chandler.

Round 2 – Chandler pushes Alvarez back with a jab. head movement from the champ, but he eats a jab. Bit right hand for Chandler, who dances off kick counter. Alvarez catches Chandler coming in with a left hook, then an overhand right. Stiff jab for the champ. Alvarez again on his bike. Nice lead right for Alvarez. Alvarez is still ducking in as Chandler leaps in, and McCarthy warns him. Activer jab from Chandler. Alvarez thinks a takedown, but it’s easily stuffed. Alvarez leaps with a right and misses. Chandler’s pace insane. He chases for a takedown, but gets nothing. Alvarez tries a jab. Chandler takes a right hand. His left eye is swelling. Chandler kicks into a takedown then twice slams Alvarez to the mat. A brief stall as both fighters contemplate options. Chandler settles fo the back and then slams again, but when he goes for the choke, Alvarez escapes. Chandler still working for takedown against the fence, and Eddie working short punches as he sits against the cage. Fight stalls. Alvarez works back to his feet and escapes. Chandler right on him. Uppercut and hook lands for Alvarez, and Chandler does an Anderson Silva impression. Alvarez tries to land the finishing blow, but Chandler takes the fight down. MMAjunkie.com scores the second frame for Alvarez, 10-9, tying the fight at 19-19.

Round 3 – Alvarez leads with several combos ,and Chandler fires back. Alvarez lands in close with a kick, and Chandler drives for a takedown after attempting to even the score. They trade jabs, and Chandler circles before thrusting a side kick. Chandler attacks the body, but it seems he’s more interested in a takedown than before. Alvarez’s sprawl is strong, and they wind up against the cage with Chandler trying to complete a trip to the mat. He shucks Eddie off and they reset. Alvarez attacks the body, and Chandler ducks under for a takedown. The champ is considerably more flat-footed, and Alvarez is landing more. Chandler drives again for a takedown and can’t get it. Alvarez wheels around to his back and attempts to get the takedown. It seems Chandler is tiring, but he’s still in the game. Less than two minutes to go, and Alvarez is pushing for the takedown. Crazy pace. Chandler wings a hook into a takedown and tries again for a choke against the cage. He doesn’t have the hook, and Alvarez rights himself. Chandler adjusts, though, and completes the takedown with under 30 seconds to go. Round ends without much fanfare. MMAjunkie.com scores the third frame for Alvarez, 10-9, for a 29-28 score leading into the championship rounds.

Round 4 – Doctors have checked on Chandler’s eye and said it’s OK. The champ comes out with fast jabs, and he’s back to pressing forward. This time, he isn’t there for the counter. Alvarez chasing him. Chandler loading up for a big punch counter. Out of nowhere, Chandler leaps into a knee and sends Alvarez backward. They exchange more punches before Chandler wins a scramble and gets top position on the mat. He works short shots as Alvarez tries to defend. A right hand slips through, and then several more. Big elbows follow, and Alvarez seems in a bad way. His head is bouncing off the mat, and his left eye is now bleeding badly. Two minutes left in the round, but if more big shots land, he might not survive. Finally, he kicks his legs out to disrupt Chandler’s posture. Alvarez turns to his side, and Chandler pounds him with right hands, but he turns back and ties things up. Alvarez, near the fence, gets warned for grabbing the cage. They’ve drifted to the edge, and Chandler is working the body and head. MMAjunkie.com scores the frame 10-9 for the champ, and the fight is even 38-38.

Round 5 – They come out swinging big time in the fifth and final round. Chandler is loose and circling. Alvarez is chasing does strikes, and nearly walks into a flying knee. Chandler ducks under against the cage and tries a takedown. he’s baiting Alvarez in and then lands a big uppercut that rocks Alvarez. He nabs the takedown and quickly takes Alvarez’s back, but despite a few tense seconds can’t get the rear-naked choke. Alvarez hand fights and manages to reverse position against the cage, where he knees the legs. Chandler bucks and the two take center-cage, trading punches. Chandler grabs a leg and gives it up. His left leg is almost completely swollen shut. He misses a punch and Alvarez has him against the cage, loading up. Alvarez unloads punches and has Chandler on the ropes. Chandler tries to escape, and Alvarez seizes upon a rear-nake choke. Chandler narrowly escapes, but Alvarez has it again. Somehow, Chandler escapes again, and Alvarez has his back against the cage. After a few tense moments, Chandler is able to reverse and land a few shots. But Alvarez is up. Chandler elevates him and gets the takedown, and the round ends. Both men congratulate each other on an another amazing fight. MMAjunkie.com scores the final frame for Alvarez, 10-9, and the fight 48-47.

Round 1 – Referee Herb Dean calls this final fight. Juarez pops Williams with leg kicks, and Williams tries to reply with a punch combo. In the next exchange, Juarez catches him with a left hand, and Williams drives for a takedown. Unfortunately, he also drives right into a guillotine choke, which Juarez cranks until referee Herb Dean checks Williams and he’s unconscious.

UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is probably the greatest female fighter on the planet, which is a tremendous feat. So why are we seemingly so obsessed with arguing about whether she could beat up men?